Des from the Brockley Cross Action Group (BXAG) has written regarding the Christmas Market. He says:

"The final pieces of the jigsaw have been fitted and the Brockley Christmas Market is now a reality.

"It was very much touch and go for several weeks when we were told that we could not use Coulgate St as Network Rail contractors would be closing the street from the beginning of December. Other possible options were explored and eliminated, but a last minute change of plan means that the construction work is now delayed until January and we have the "green light" for the market.

"Last year's was good (about 1700 people attended), this year will be better. We are providing more stalls and live music throughout the afternoon culminating in a 'Switch on of the Brockley lights by actor Patrick Baladi [Neil from The Office and former flatmate of a friend of BC's] and a festive choir in front of the Brockley Barge.

"John Stainer School are working with the BXAG and will be providing part of the live music (a band composed of teachers & parents) and we have incorporated plenty of interest for children including lantern making and Santa and his elves in the grotto."

Ohhhhhh so that's Patrick Baladi. Bodies was an excellent series, it was on a a stupid hour so didn't get a wide audience. Was one of my must watches, wouldn't recommend it if you are an expectant parent or have had a bad obstetric experience.

Not Proper Brockley....you've not been on here long have you? I think you'll find that DB was aiming that comment at our resident xenophobe who whined last year about the lack of 'proper' traditional british content at the market and complained about the summer fayre having a steel band.

Patrick Baladi from The Office is turning on the Christmas lights in Brockley? Is this a case of life imitating art? That is so, so crap it could have been in an episode of the Office itself. Hilarious.

Excuse me, DD, I'd like an opportunity to take offence here! The English did not invent bagpipes, nor are they associated with England. According to Wikipedia, the Hittites might have been amongst the first people to invent bagpipes:

You're part-Italian, aren't you, MB? Your lot have them too, in that case:

http://larkinthemorning.com/product.asp?pn=BAG104&bhcd2=1227953707

I love the sound of the pipes. We often visit my parents at the time of the annual Highland Games for the area, which starts with four pipe bands processing to the ground, all playing different tunes at the same time. Stirs the blood!

when properly 'wrastled' the pipes can be a beautiful sounding ache. There are english, scots, Irish (and probably Welsh) pipes. As far as i'm aware the english pipes are a Northumbrian traditional instrument and are used in the makings of such classics as 'The Lampton Worm'. Hell of a tune...

ps. you don't have to have read ay of this site (although I have) to make jokes about the Guardian reading, mung bean eating, ethically sourcing, cous cous demolishing Brockleyites. You just need to have lived here for a while. When will the council demolish the Broca in favour of a small gaming arcade or pool hall? Not soon enough

I always thought it was the Lambton Worm myself, but the word-of-mouth principle of traditional song still held sway in my Geordie primary school days, so I wouldn't want to be too assertive.

As for pipes, guts and the like, you can't beat a Macedonian gajda (disappointingly unrelated to the heemasexualist hook-up site of a similar name). Not content with polluting its fledgling country's World Music scene, the instrument's atonal sounds even find its way into their bloody Eurovision songs. If only I had the skill to fashion one from a cow's stomach and a roll of organic Sellotape - for that is practically all it takes - I'd sign up for a Christmas market stall right now.

Tressilliana, sorry I didn’t mean to cause offense. The bagpipes I was referring to were the ones mentioned in the previous Wikipedia link on the English version.

I bought a set of bagpipes on my first visit to Edinburgh thinking they would make a good souvenir but once I got them home and saw the ‘Made in China’ tag I felt a little cheated as the only thing Scottish was the chap who sold them. I should have bought more whiskey.

Great to see the Xmas market back. By the way I reckon Coulgate Street would be a great place for a regular market. Would it not be a good idea for the Telegraph Hill farmers market to be based on Coulgate street instead?It would be bound to have more custom and would encourage trade in nearby shops too. Worth considering in these credit crunch times.Brockley Jim

Oops I didn’t realise there are different spellings. Learn something new every day. I enjoy whiskey and whisky as well as Bourbon. Have you tried Albannach in Trafalgar Square LB? Great selection of whisky but you need to forget about the state of the economy before going in else you will just drink water. Worth it though.

Fair enough Brockley Jim, I am just getting a little bored of the habitual slagging off of West Brockley, Darkside, Mordor or what ever else people refer to it as so I thought you were just having another go.

Is it not easier in terms of planning or health and safety to have it in a park rather than a street? I dont know but most things seem to hinge on these two issues and most farmers markets do tend to be in a green space.

Er, thank you Brockley Jim, but it is quite nice for those who live in Telegraph Hill to have the Farmers Market in the Telegraph Hill Park! Not as many people use it as we would hope, but those who do would probably not trog all the way over to Coulgate Street with their children and back again with their children and shopping. Currently people shop there and then visit the playclub with their kids for a bit of a run around.